For Auriemma, Webster Bank Arena a logical site for USA game

Rich Elliott

Published 11:40 pm, Monday, June 30, 2014

BRIDGEPORT -- UConn and U.S. Women's National Team coach Geno Auriemma was not involved in the discussions with USA Basketball personnel regarding the scheduling of an exhibition game prior to the FIBA World Championship this fall.

It was logical that the game would be played in Connecticut. The site of the game was what took some discussion. When Auriemma learned that Team USA will face Canada at Webster Bank Arena Sept. 15, he was hardly surprised.

Not only are the Huskies 10-1 all-time at the venue, they have drawn impressive crowds through the years. Auriemma expressed his admiration for the arena and the support his program has received during a news conference Monday at the Limerick Pub inside the arena.

"We don't just at random go places and see if it'll work,'' Auriemma said. "We go places where we know it will work. I was thrilled when I heard about it and I know our players are going to love playing here. It's just an exciting place for us. We've done a lot of great things here in Bridgeport.''

The U.S. National Team will begin training camp at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland Sept. 7-10. It will also play a game in Newark, Del., either against an international opponent or a Red and White scrimmage.

The game against Canada in Bridgeport will be part of a multi-day stay for the team. According to USA Basketball spokesperson Caroline Williams, Team USA will practice at Webster Bank Arena Sept. 14. It could either be a co-practice with Canada or a scrimmage between the teams.

Auriemma said Monday that UConn will once again play a regular season game at Webster Bank Arena this season. And it could be more than that by the time the schedule is finalized. The Huskies made history during an 80-36 win over Temple Jan. 11 when they drew a sellout crowd of 9,274, which matched the arena record for a sporting event that was set by the UConn men's basketball team against Eastern Washington Dec. 28.

"There's probably no more exciting thing that goes on in this arena, with all due respect to World Wrestling (Entertainment) and the circus and all of the great entertainment that happens here, than when the UConn men and women play here,'' Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch said. "And it's a great feeling to be mayor of a city who graduated from the University of Connecticut and can welcome one of the people that brought us to worldwide preeminence, Geno Auriemma.''

The U.S. will not lack local appeal when it arrives in Bridgeport. Neither will Canada as UConn incoming freshman point guard Kia Nurse is on the team.

"I think their point guard is pretty good and I don't want her to be really good Sept. 15,'' Auriemma said. "And we're going to work really hard to make her look terrible. But they've got a lot of really good young players and I'm happy that we're playing them.''